Pascal Arogorn Ibe
The Ekiti State Police Command has arrested five suspected cultists who claimed to be students of the Ekiti State University (EKSU).
In a statement on Sunday, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Sunday Abutu, noted that the arrest was made during an initiation ceremony held in a bush behind the school campus.
He explained that the Police Rapid Response Team acted on a tip-off and burst into the initiation venue to stall the exercise.
Those arrested were Adeyeye Adeyemi (29), Adeyemi Tobi (25), Moyosore Onajobi (22), Dickson Godwin (23), and Olowosaye Martins (21).
“The information was received by the Police Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Ekiti State Command, that some members of the Black Axe (Aiye) secret confraternity were holding an initiation rite inside a bush behind the Ekiti State University (EKSU) Campus, Iworoko-Ekiti,” the statement said.
On sighting the police team, the command’s spokesman said the suspects shot sporadically but later bowed to the superior power of the security operatives, leading to the arrest of five of them while others took to their heels and escaped.
“Upon the receipt of the information, a team of the RRS Operatives, in synergy with the police personnel attached to Iworoko Divisional Police Headquarters swung into action and stormed the bush where the suspected cultists shot sporadically on sighting the police,” the statement added.
Items recovered from the scene included a small-sized locally made pistol, two expended cartridges, a gallon containing liquid drug, weeds suspected to be Indian hemp, and two motorcycles.
In his reaction, the Commissioner of Police in Ekiti, Tunde Mobayo, ordered a thorough investigation of the arrested suspects and asked the security operatives to ensure they apprehend the fleeing suspects.
According to him, the police will not give cult activities a breathing space in the face of other security challenges currently bedevilling the country.
Last week, about eight people were killed and many injured in Ikere Ekiti when two rival cult groups clashed.
Police confirmed the arrest of about 50 suspects in connection with the incident.
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